Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1887-02-11
A YOUNG OTEPMOTHER

no need in urging the matter with
me / tell you that my mind is
made upw
stamped my foot passiOnately
on the floor as spoke, and | could
feel the hot scarlet flush sutfusing
all my face.
"Isabel," he said, caressingly,
"for my sake, l think for my sake,
you will try and overcome this I'M
fortunate prejudice against one
who is as good as she is beautiful"
turned sullenly away without a
syllable of reply, and buried my
self and tribulations in the shadieSt
and most retired walk in the gar
den. But even as l leaned over
the hand-rail, mechanically fixing
nv ewes on the whirl of the musl-
cal water below, a light hand
touched my shoulder, and | started
to find myself looking directly IN
to the face of my beautiful young
stepmother.
"Isabel !" she said softly.
al did not expect to find you
here, Mrs. Farnham,' l said cold
IL. al had supposed that at least
in one place in my fathers garden
l should be free from unwelcome
companionship."
"Will not you believe that love
you, Isabel Z" she pleaded, while
her witsful violet eyes and trem-
bling lips would have melted any
heart less marble than mine.
"These private theatricals are
quite unnecessary, madame" l an
swered frigidly, 81 can scarcely
be expected to yield a child's rev.
erenee to mother scarcely three
years older than myself"
II do not ask for any such feeling
on your part, Isabel-but would
plead for a little love-
"It ; quite useless. The memo.
rs Of my own mother and here
l stopped short, with a choking
sensation in my throat.
My stepmOther turned to steal
her arm, so fair and round in its
translucent muslin sleeve, around
my waist.
"Dear Isabel" she whispered
"your father treasures the recollec
ton of his first wife none the less
tenderly because he has taken pity
upon my dissolution and friendless
ness. And"
But | stopped to hear nothing
further | was determined not tC
love her, and it gave me a sort Of
unquiet, guilty exultatiOn to SEE
that my peryerse conduct had pow
er seriously to embitter the happi
ness OF both herself and my father
Before, had never gwen thought
or care to my personal appearance
now l studied the trivial details o.
dress, with a special regard to out
shining my stepmother.
"At all events" / thought to my
self, I'll am more beautiful than she
is"
read, studied aud cultivated
my mind with renewed energy
people should not say that Mrs
Farnham was more intelligent thai
her stepdaughter. 1 strOve to rem
der my manners as gentle and fas
cinating as possible.
Isabel my father said, "yoI
are improving very much of late
and remind me more than ever o
your dear mother. If you coul(
only try to grow a little more fonC
of Estelle0
l turned laughingly away, will
some careless remark about thu
matter.
SO weeks and months passed
away, aud we, the inmates OF tn
household, dwelling beneath ont
roof, we're as tar apart in heart ant
nature as if continents divided III
or seas rolled between.
"Not smallpox, surelyw
Ny stepmother's voice reached
me, as if through the medium of dis
lance, faint and soft, although sh'
was sitting at my side. l tried t
speak. but could not. l strove II
raise 10y hand and beckon, but
\. was powerIess as a baby day old
p 81 fear it Isl" DIR. DaytOn's vOic'
answered, "and l can give you bu
little hope of your husband, al
though Bellies vigor of constitution
and youth may enable her to wealth
or the Storm
Was my father, then, sick? An'
what blighting influence cast 1t
spells over me? | tried to remem
her, but my memory was blank
And with the instructive efforts +
repel my stepmo theirs hand as sh
laid bandage, dipped in som
cooling lotion, on my brow, seem
ed to drift away upon the tideles
sea of dreams.
When recovered my senses
months afterward, as it seemed t
me, although it could have bee
but a few days-Dr. Dayton wa
still standing by my bedside, an
close by the window sat slende
figure in black-its face was turne'
away.
"WhO is that ~ | asked huskl
Is, pointing toward il.